Lewis Hamilton did not feel like he belonged on the top step of the podium in Azerbaijan.
Hamilton was the first to admit his first victory of 2018 came in fortuitous circumstances, having inherited the lead in the closing laps after teammate Valtteri Bottas suffered a race-ending puncture four laps from the finish. The post-race ceremony itself was delayed as Hamilton opted to go and find his teammate in the Mercedes hospitality unit to commiserate with him before returning to the podium.
The reigning world champion was restrained when he got there and he believes that highlights a difference in mindset to many of his rivals.
« This is a lottery race, and whether or not you use ‘gifted’ as the word, I don’t know if I would use that, but it was a fortunate race for me, » Hamilton said. « I was standing on the podium believing that Valtteri should have been standing there, because I felt that he had earned it. So it’s definitely different when you don’t feel that, you feel that someone else had earned it that day.
« There have been days I’ve been on a podium where I’ve lost a grand prix, and it’s been gifted to someone else, be it a couple of the drivers that are here, or one of the drivers that have left. The happiness they’ve had, doesn’t matter whether they’ve earned it or not, fingers up in the air… I’m just wired differently. I could have done that today. I still won, and you take what you get.
« But I like to win because I’ve outsmarted and outwitted and outclassed every driver out there. »
Hamilton said the victory resonated with advice he’s followed all of his racing career.
« It was really a reminder to me, not that I needed reminding, but my whole life I’ve been through experiences like today where you you’re climbing a hill and you just keep slipping down, ‘I’m going to get there, I’m going to get there, I’m going to get there.’
« I remember my dad telling me never give up when I was really, really young and having implemented today. So that affects all life, when you’re trying to be successful. You try, you try, you fail, you try, you fail, and then eventually you succeed. And that today was sheer proof of that. Of course it was affected by other things. »
http://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/23365708/lewis-hamilton-subdued-podium-celebration-shows-wired-differently
